The present invention relates to a side body structure for a compact car, and, more particularly, to a side body structure for a compact car with improved collision characteristics and durability.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a conventional side portion of a side body. In general, the side portion of the side body comprises a rear side member 1 mounted on both sides of a car body, a rear side lower member 2 attached to a bottom surface of an end of the rear side member 1, and a side sill inner panel 3 attached at its end to a front portion of the rear side lower member 2 to be disposed parallel to the rear side member 1.
However, since the above-mentioned conventional side body structure is configured such that the rear side member 1 and the side sill inner panel 3 are not directly connected to each other, when the compact car having the side body structure mounted thereon comes into a head-on collision or a offset collision during its driving, impact force xe2x80x9cFxe2x80x9d applied thereto is not transmitted to the side sill inner panel 3, but is predominantly transmitted via the rear side member 1, as indicated by arrows in the drawing, thereby causing the impact energy not to be efficiently dispersed.
In addition, since the side body structure cannot disperse the impact energy efficiently, the rear side member 1 to which impact force is intensively applied is easily destroyed, and thus a vehicle having the side structure is deteriorated in its impact characteristics and durability, thereby causing its passengers to be exposed to risk.
Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide a side body structure with improved energy dissipation. It is a further object of the present invention is to provide a side body structure for a compact car in which a rear side member and a side sill inner panel are connected to each other via a side member-reinforcing panel interposed therebetween so that impact force transmitted to the rear side member is efficiently dispersed and transmitted to the side sill inner panel in case of a head-on collision or a offset collision, thereby preventing impact force from being concentrated on the rear side member and thus preventing the rear side member from being easily damaged, and improving its various collision characteristics and durability.
In order to accomplish these and other objects, the present invention provides a side body structure for a compact car which comprises a rear side member mounted on both sides of a car body; a rear side lower member attached to an end of the rear side member; a side sill inner panel longitudinally attached to a front portion of the rear side lower member; and a side member-reinforcing panel attached between the rear side member and the side sill inner panel; whereby impact force applied to the rear side member is dispersed and transmitted to the side sill inner panel.
In an alternative embodiment, the present invention includes four separate members configured and dimensioned to form a part of a car side body. The four members are joined together to form a box shape having open ends such that an opening through the box shape runs along the longitudinal direction. In a preferred embodiment, an upper member of the structure has a wall portion that is parallel to a wall portion of a lower member.